Thursday, April 30, 2015

If you like to watch:Nearshore Spring 2015
While much attention is paid to herring spawning, kelp habitats are critical for a number of forage fish species and life history stages, including young of the year sand lance. Here's a glimpse of this captivating and beautiful component of our marine ecosystem. (Coastal Watershed Institute)

Canadian, American groups call on B.C. to end underwater storage of mine tailings
Dozens of Canadian and American environmental groups, First Nations and businesses, as well as scientists and individuals, have called on the B.C. government to end the use of storing mine waste under water and behind earth-and-rock dams. But Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett said that is not going to happen in British Columbia. “I don’t think that’s in the cards for B.C. — or any other province in Canada — to adopt a policy where all you can use to manage tailings is dry-stack tailings,” Bennett said in an interview. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Vancouver oil spill response 'embarrassing,' says international expert
The response to the bunker fuel spill in Vancouver's English Bay was "very disappointing" says Anita Burke, an international expert in responding to and restoring ecosystems affected by industrial and natural disasters. "We clearly have large gaps in our ability to respond and take care of our coast … it's embarrassing, frankly," said Burke, who worked with Shell and its subsidiaries on corporate responsibility and sustainable development for 17 years. (CBC)

Earthquake would leave hundreds critically hurt or dead, North Vancouver report predicts
If a major earthquake hit the North Shore today, many buildings in several low-lying waterfront areas would likely topple as sandy soils were subject to liquefaction. Landslides would likely be triggered along escarpments of the Capilano, Lynn and Seymour rivers. Older neighbourhoods of Norgate, Pemberton Heights, Highlands, Edgemont, Lower Lynn and Riverside would likely see pockets of extensive residential damage. As many as 15,000 homes would be without water and power and over 4,000 people could be forced out of their homes in the immediate aftermath of a large earthquake. Up to 2,000 people are likely to be injured, several hundred of those seriously, overwhelming Lions Gate Hospital and other local medical facilities. Several hundred would likely be critically injured, or killed. Jane Seyd reports. (North Shore News)

10 Things You Should Know About the Samish Nation
The Samish Nation’s story is nothing short of remarkable. In the 1840s, more than 2,000 Samish people lived on their ancestral islands in the central Salish Sea: Fidalgo, Guemes, Lopez, San Juan, and Samish. But by the time of the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855, which made land available for non-Native settlers, introduced diseases had reduced the Samish population to 200. Richard Walker reports. (Indian Country Today)

Volunteers keep track of trains in annual count
More coal, less oil. That's what a group of volunteers saw last week when they kept a round-the-clock vigil on the railroad tracks running through Snohomish County. They counted 29 coal trains and 12 crude-oil trains. That compares to 24 coal trains and 16 crude-oil trains last year. The new figures are in line with the number of oil-train shipments that BNSF Railway has reported to the state. This was the second straight year that Snohomish County Train Watch has conducted the census. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

Judge extends TRO after hearing on Greenpeace injunction
Shell’s court battle to obtain a preliminary injunction against Greenpeace USA continued in U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason’s court in Anchorage April 28. Gleason is considering whether to issue an order that would keep Greenpeace protestors at a certain distance from vessels Shell hopes to use for its 2015 Arctic offshore drilling. After the hearing, Gleason extended the temporary restraining order against Greenpeace covering two drill rigs and a heavy lift vessel; that order issued April 11 expired April 28 and she extended it to May 9 or until she rules on Shell’s request for an injunction that would cover all 27 vessels being mobilized for its Arctic exploration this summer. The company is asking for a court-ordered safety zone of 1,000 meters while vessels are en route, and a 1,500-meter safety zone while drill ships are anchored in the Chukchi Sea and support vessels are maneuvering in the area to move anchors and perform other support tasks. Tim Bradner reports. (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

Washington officials, Skagit County commissioner talk fish and farms with Gov. Inslee
Skagit County has the largest intact estuary in Puget Sound and is a focal point in the largest pending estuary restoration proposal, officials said during a discussion Tuesday with Gov. Jay Inslee. Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen also said agriculture is an integral part of the county’s culture and needs to be considered alongside fish recovery…. Skagit County is home to the Padilla Bay National Esturine Research Reserve, which has the largest eelgrass beds in the Sound. Also, four of 11 sites proposed for restoration under the Puget Sound Nearshore Estuary Restoration Project are in Skagit County along the Skagit River delta and the county’s shoreline areas. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Report tallies economic benefit from North Cascades tourism
A National Park Service report shows that nearly 770,000 people visited the North Cascades National Park Service Complex last year, spending more than $33.5 million in nearby communities. The park complex includes North Cascades National Park as well as the Lake Chelan and Ross Lake areas. The report says the spending supported more than 400 local jobs and provided a cumulative local economy benefit of more than $40.5 million. (Associated Press)

Most Whatcom beaches reopened to shellfish harvesting
Most beaches in Whatcom County have been reopened to recreational shellfish harvesting because marine biotoxins that could cause illness have dropped to safe levels. The Washington state Health Department has lifted the ban on most beaches, except for Portage Bay, where varnish clams still can't be harvested recreationally. The announcement was made Wednesday, April 29. (Bellingham Herald)

Black band coral disease continues to affect Kauai reefs
Black band coral disease is affecting nearly half of the reef sites state officials have surveyed in waters off Kauai. That's according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The agency is holding a news conference Wednesday to discuss progress made to combat the disease. Scientists will also share information from a new report on the disease by the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. (Hawaii News Now)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Ocean-energy project bad for whales, researcher says
A proposed clean-energy project may slow the speed of climate change, but it could also imperil threatened orcas, critics say. Vancouver-based Weyl Power Ltd. — pronounced “wheel,” not “whale” — is eyeing two sites within the Northern resident killer whales’ critical habitat for ocean energy projects. The company has only applied to monitor and investigate the potential of the sites, but a local orca researcher says it has already gone too far. “It shouldn’t even get out of the starting gate — I don’t think the proposal should be considered at all, even at the investigative stage,” said Paul Spong, founder of the OrcaLab whale research station on Hanson Island, near Telegraph Cove. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

New blog:Last Week in Baltimore, Charm City
"I spent last week in Baltimore, Charm City. I returned home late Friday before the first outbreak of violence on Saturday, for which I would have had a front row seat around Camden Yards. Now more rioting on Monday, National Guard on call, law enforcement moving in from around the region. What does the rioting solve, Baltimore’s mayor asks? What happens to the charm, I ask?…."

Are greens picking the wrong oil target?
The major targets of environmental protests against Big Oil have been the proposed Keystone XL pipeline through the Midwest, and Shell Oil’s planned drilling in the Chukchi Sea off Arctic Alaska. Have the green activists wisely picked their targets? A just-released report, “West Coast Tar Sands Invasion” by the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests that the Pacific Coast, including Washington, may feel the greatest impacts from North America’s major new oil production centers. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

Shell financial reports about Arctic drilling are too 'rosy,' environmentalists charge
Shell has understated the financial risks of exploring for oil in the Arctic Ocean and federal regulators should investigate possible misrepresentations to investors, critics of the drilling plan said Tuesday. Oceana, an environmental organization, and the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School on Monday petitioned the Securities and Exchange Commission for an investigation into what the drilling critics call “material misstatements and omissions” in Shell’s financial filings. Yereth Rosen reports. (Alaska Dispatch News)

Energy, Transportation departments to study volatility of oil moved by rail
The federal government will conduct a two-year study of how crude oil volatility affects the commodity’s behavior in train derailments, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told a Senate panel Tuesday. The Energy Department will coordinate the study with the Department of Transportation, Moniz told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. After a series of fiery train derailments, the Transportation Department concluded early last year that light, sweet crude oil from North Dakota’s Bakken region is more volatile than other kinds. But derailments involving ethanol and other types of crude oil have cast doubt on whether Bakken is likely to react more severely than other flammable liquids transported by rail. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

The no-drone zone: How to stop UAVs spying on us from above
…. Two weeks ago, Boston police announced this year's Boston Marathon as a "no drone zone". It might have sounded like an unenforceable plea, but the police had a trick up their sleeves. They had enlisted the help of a company called DroneShield, which supplied acoustic sensors that can detect drones. Chris Baraniuk reports. (New Scientist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED APR 29 2015 TODAY S WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W
SWELL 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY. TONIGHT W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Swimming Puget Sound 1000 days in a row, Wayne Kinslow proves he's made of strong stuff
For some people Puget Sound is not a good choice for a swim. At 46 degrees it's very cold and frankly hypothermia will take over if you are in the water too long. But for Wayne Kinslow, it's all part of the fun. Kinslow somehow has willed himself to swim in the chilly waters 1000 days in a row, hitting that milestone on April 27. Normally he swims with a group of equally fearless swimmers but for the big number he chose to go solo. Patrick Robinson reports. (West Seattle Herald)

First Nations, province agree on plans to protect B.C. coast
The provincial government and 18 First Nations have agreed to plans for protecting and managing more than 100,000 square kilometres of B.C.’s coast, from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska. The deal covers issues that fall under provincial jurisdiction, but ignores key federal responsibilities such as fisheries and marine transportation, including tanker traffic. Lindsay Kines reports. (Times Colonist)

U.S. worried about Canada’s ability to respond to oil spills, records reveal
After the MV Marathassa spilled sticky, toxic bunker fuel into Vancouver’s harbour this month, Washington State officials noted in interviews with The Globe and Mail that the state’s oil-spill response regime was far advanced from Canada’s. One former maritime lawyer said if the U.S. Coast Guard ranked an eight or nine out of 10 worldwide, then Canada’s Coast Guard would rank a one or two. But the records obtained by The Globe under U.S. access-to-information laws show that American officials have been worried about Canada’s oil-response capabilities for years, dating back to Canada’s National Energy Board hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and the proposed Kinder Morgan expansion project. Stanley Tromp reports. (Globe and Mail)

NEB launches public review into pipeline emergency response plans
Emergency response plans submitted by companies proposing to build pipelines in Canada are to be the subject of a public consultation overseen by the National Energy Board (NEB). Peter Watson, CEO of the energy board, announced the new review in a speech delivered to business leaders in Vancouver today [Monday] . "Canadians deserve to be consulted on the transparency of emergency management information for NEB-regulated pipelines," Watson said. "There may indeed be some specific information that should be kept confidential, but I believe that we have been too conservative in our approach to this issue to date." (CBC)

A Tale of Two Otters: Natural History of River Otters and Sea OttersThe Whale Trail presents naturalist Leo Shaw Leo Shaw who will discuss the natural history of river and sea otters in North America, with a special focus on the river otters of West Seattle! His talk will cover human interactions, population swings, social structure, anatomy and physiology food preferences, legal status, and current threats. Thursday, April 30th, 7PM. C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW. $5 suggested donation. (Kids get in free!); Brown Paper Tickets.

Public asked for input on Victoria-area sewage-plant sites
Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay will launch an intensive public process Wednesday looking for input on where to build a sewage-treatment plant. It’s an ambitious agenda. The hope is to get public buy-in on where a sewage-treatment plant or plants should be sited by the end of June. It took four years for the Capital Regional District to settle on Esquimalt’s McLoughlin Point as a site for a regional sewage-treatment plant. That plan went off the rails last year, when Esquimalt refused to rezone the site and the province declined to overturn the decision. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Wise Guys
…. Tony Angell writes (and draws) with the absolute authority of one who has studied, rehabilitated, lived with and loved the animals his whole life. Watching owls simply being owls is his calling. Julie Zickefoose reviews Tony Angell's new book, The House of Owls. (Wall Street Journal)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT TUE APR 28 2015 TODAY S WIND 10 TO 20 KT BECOMING W LATE MORNING. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 10 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 11 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN SHOWERS LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON. TONIGHT W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. NW SWELL 8 FT
AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, April 27, 2015

If you like to listen:Seabirds Drink Salt Water
Seabirds have no problem drinking sea water. The salt they take in is absorbed and moves through their blood stream into a pair of salt glands above their eyes. The densely salty fluid is excreted from the nostrils and runs down grooves in the bill. As the drop gets larger, the bird shakes its head to send the salt back to the ocean. A seabird's skull has a pair of grooves for the salt glands right over the eyes. (BirdNote)

Oil Train Safety Legislation Passes In Washington
State lawmakers gave final approval Friday to a bill meant to increase oil train safety. The bill was taken up in response to the uptick in oil train traffic in the region. It directs oil taxes to help pay for oil-train spill response. It also imposes public disclosure requirements for railroad companies operating in Washington. The bill was introduced by Gov. Jay Inslee and three dozen of his fellow Democrats in the House, where their party holds the majority. But by the time it was unanimously approved by the Republican-controlled Senate Friday evening, the bill had undergone many changes. Funding and requirements for enhanced marine spill response, including an extra rescue tug to be stationed in the eastern part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, were stripped from the bill. Ashley Ahearn reports. (KUOW) See also: Rumble grows over oil trainsKimberly Cauvel and Shannen Kuest report. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Metro mayors give federal officials an earful over English Bay oil spill
Metro Vancouver mayors grilled the National Energy Board Friday on how it would prevent future oil spills, saying the Canadian Coast Guard’s “inadequate response” to the recent spill in English Bay put the city’s economy, tourism and quality of life at risk. Mayors maintain the latest spill highlighted the need for a better emergency response system across the region, noting it took the coast guard hours to respond after a sailor first reported seeing a sheen of oil in English Bay. North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton said the “the level of response was far from what our local governments would anticipate.” Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

NEB CEO Paul Watson heckled by Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters
Protesters heckled the National Energy Board's CEO Peter Watson, who was in town to meet with Metro Vancouver mayors about concerns over the consultation process for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Watson was heckled by protesters when he said he deeply cares about people, land and water. Metro Vancouver does not have an official position on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson told Watson there is lack of public confidence in the NEB. (CBC)

Washington State Turns to Neurotoxins to Save Its Oysters
A pesticide from the group of chemicals linked to colony collapse disorder will now be sprayed in US waters. What could go wrong?…. Imidacloprid is the world’s most popular pesticide, and highly controversial. It belongs to a family of neurotoxins, neonicotinoids, that is increasingly being blamed for colony collapse disorder—the sharp die-off of honeybees that has plagued North America since 2006. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Audubon Society, and the Xerces Society, which advocates for invertebrates, have all opposed the chemical’s use on Willapa Bay. But their protests are now moot. On April 16, the Washington Department of Ecology approved the spraying of imidacloprid on 1,500 acres of Willapa Bay and 500 acres of nearby Grays Harbor. In about a month, crop-dusting helicopters will begin dousing both estuaries with the chemical. Bill Donahue reports. (Bloomberg)

Oil rig Polar Pioneer, heavy lift ship Blue Marlin now separate in Port Angeles Harbor
Two giant vessels that arrived in Port Angeles Harbor as one massive unit are now operating separately. The Polar Pioneer oil drilling rig was offloaded Sunday at about 7 a.m. from the heavy lift ship MV Blue Marlin, which carried the huge mobile rig from Malaysia starting in early March…. A 100-yard safety zone remains in place around both the Polar Pioneer and Blue Marlin, which are classified as being a single unit under the safety zone protection as long as they are moored near each other... The safety zone expands to 500 yards if either vessel is underway. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Water near Mount Polley gold mine still tainted, tests find
Water test results following the Mount Polley mine dam failure eight months ago have continued to show periodic elevated levels of metals. The latest results from February and March show government guidelines were exceeded for copper for aquatic life on the Quesnel River near the town of Likely, downstream from the mine. Provincial officials continue to say the water is safe to drink as long as it is filtered, though there have been some exceedances of drinking water guidelines since last fall. And computer modelling by the company’s consultants predict the metals from fine sediment in Quesnel Lake should clear up by August, say provincial officials. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Work begins soon to clean polluted runoff into Padden Creek estuary
The second of two projects to improve the health of Padden Creek estuary by collecting and cleaning polluted runoff could begin as soon as June. Its design and construction is expected to cost a little more than $1.1 million. The project still must go out to bid…. People can learn about the project at an open house Tuesday, May 5, at Fairhaven library. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Seattle plans $600 million wastewater overflow project
A Seattle utility unveiled a $600 million plan on Friday to stop millions of gallons of untreated wastewater and polluted runoff from flowing into the area's creeks, lakes, the Duwamish river and the Puget Sound. The plan would involve construction of a 2.7-mile, $374-million combined sewer overflow storage system along the north side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, just miles from an unrelated headline-grabbing $3.1 billion Seattle roadway overhaul that has been fraught with delays…. The 15-year plan aims to fulfill promises Seattle made in a 2013 consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state's Department of Ecology to reduce sewer overflows to comply with state and federal law. The Seattle City Council will consider the proposal starting next week. Canal construction could begin in 2018. (Reuters)

Tagged orca makes close approach to Cape Disappointment State Park
After spending a few days on the central Washington coast north of the mouth of Grays Harbor, the L pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) spent this Thursday and Friday around the southern tip of the Long Beach Peninsula. Satellite tracking of male orca L84 shows him coming within a short distance of Benson Beach in Cape Disappointment State Park. At other times in the past two days, he was zigzagging across the entrance of the Columbia River close to the Buoy 10 line, as well as due west of North Head. At 7:06 a.m. Friday he was roughly a mile west of Long Beach. (Chinook Observer) See also: Killer whale tagging and acoustic studies provide increasing details Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

If you like to watch:Grey whale dissected on Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino
Biologists with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada have dissected the body of a young grey whale on Thursday that washed up on Wickaninnish Beach near Tofino, B.C., earlier this week. Scientists aren't sure why it died, though there is some evidence it was struck by a boat. The 10 metre long gray whale is a yearling and was making its second migration up to Alaskan waters when it died. Researchers took tissue samples from the abdominal and chest cavity of the whale to look at other possible causes. (CBC)

Top Environmental Agencies Release Diversity Data
On April 22, 2015, which marked the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, Green 2.0 released the names of over 25 of America’s leading environmental advocacy organizations who voluntarily submitted their diversity data to GuideStar.... Denis Hayes, who was national organizer of the first Earth Day, and is now president of The Bullitt Foundation, encouraged other organizations to participate in this effort. “We are all most likely to improve the things that we measure,” he said. “At its birth, the environmental movement was a big tent, welcoming to all who shared its basic commitment to a healthy, resilient, equitable, peaceful future,” said Hayes. “We need to return to those roots.” Hayes is among the few philanthropy leaders who have already made their information available on their GuideStar profile. People of color represent 50 percent of the staff of The Bullitt Foundation and 27 percent of its board. Andrew Lam reports. (New American Media)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Coalition saves Olympia’s only great blue heron colony
…. “These have been our herons for decades,” said resident Dan Einstein as a handful of herons squawked in the treetops where they nest. “Who knows why they picked our neighborhood, but they did.” Last summer, Einstein helped launch the nonprofit Olympia Coalition for Ecosystems Preservation in response to a proposed townhome development in the woods at the end of Dickinson Avenue. An access road was slated to pass through the heronry. Some people were concerned that the extra human disturbances would cause the birds to leave. The coalition has since led a successful effort to protect the heronry and the land surrounding it. Volunteers have spent countless hours pulling ivy and planting trees. The coalition has installed signs and enclosed the site’s entrance on Dickinson Avenue with split-rail fencing. Andy Hobbs reports. (Olympian)

Wetter weather ahead for Friday and Saturday
…. "I believe the media and some local politicians have gotten a bit too worried about our "drought." We have not had a precipitation drought at all....we are in a snow drought due to warm temperatures. The situation is unique and I suspect we will weather this summer far better than expected. And for those looking for outdoor activities this weekend: Sunday morning and early afternoon look the best." Cliff Mass writes. (Weather Blog)

Ship involved in Vancouver fuel spill posts $300,000 bond
The cargo vessel that leaked bunker fuel into English Bay earlier this month has returned to anchorage in English Bay, but won’t leave until final environmental inspections are complete, Transport Canada officials said Thursday. “The vessel will not depart until Transport Canada has determined that the vessel is in compliance with Transport Canada regulations and is environmentally safe for voyage,” spokeswoman Jillian Glover said in an email. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. First Nation signs benefit deal over natural gas pipeline
The company planning to build a 900 kilometre natural gas pipeline across northern B.C. has signed a benefit agreement with the Kitselas (KIT'-sell-us) First Nation. TransCanada (TSX:TRP) announced the deal, when signed, will provide financial and other benefits related to the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project. (Canadian Press)

If you like to watch:Daily Life: Puget Sound Ship Pilot
Over 7,500 HUGE ships come and go from the Puget Sound each year. In this edition of Daily Life we find out what it takes to bring those ships to dock. (Daily UW)

Washington Earthquake's Mysterious Source Discovered
Geologists have finally solved a 142-year-old earthquake mystery in central Washington state. Until now, no one knew the source of a powerful earthquake that rattled windows from Washington to Montana on Dec. 14, 1872. The quake's size, based on historical accounts, was magnitude 6.8. At the time, newspapers put the epicenter in several areas, from underneath the Puget Sound north to Vancouver, British Columbia. But Washington's eyewitness reports, slower to arrive in the sparsely populated state, centered the most intense damage east of the Cascades, near Wenatchee, where a giant landslide temporarily dammed the Columbia River. Becky Oskin reports. (Live Science)

SeaWorld Tanks – Why Bigger Will Never Be Big Enough
No matter how big SeaWorld builds their tanks they will always be hopelessly tiny compared to the environment where orcas live. Yet room to swim and dive are only part of why the orcas’ natural environment can never be duplicated in captivity – those crystal clear tanks of chlorinated water where the whales swim in circles or bob endlessly at the surface are not even remotely representative of the ocean. Whales are uniquely adapted to live in a complex, dynamic, sensory rich environment – below you can see how the saltiness of the Salish Sea (where the Southern Resident orcas live) varies over the course of a single day, and observe what happens as the salty ocean water meets the fresh water from rivers. Candace Calloway Whiting reports. (SeattlePI.Com)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

On Earth Day, Inslee Gives Lawmakers 'Goose Egg' On Environment
Washington Governor Jay Inslee used Earth Day to chastise state lawmakers for their environmental record. The Democrat spoke Wednesday on the lawn outside one of the Capitol press houses. He said the legislature has failed to send him measures on carbon pollution, oil train safety and toxic chemicals. “The score at the moment is legislators 103 days, environment zero because so far the legislators have an absolute goose egg when it comes to doing anything for the environment this year,” Inslee said. Austin Jenkins reports. (KUOW)

University of Victoria professor urges Earth Day action
As thousands of British Columbians celebrate Earth Day today, it raises the question: If so many people believe in environmental protection, why aren’t more of us taking action? Robert Gifford, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the University of Victoria, has spent the past seven years studying the attitude-behaviour gap plaguing the environmental movement. Part of the problem is a belief that problems such as climate change are far-away events in either space or time, he said — but that can be changed. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Baltimore:Water Wheel scoops 19 tons of Inner Harbor trash in one day
The Inner Harbor Water Wheel, the solar- and water-powered contraption that removes trash and debris from Baltimore's waterfront, collected a record 19 tons of waste on Monday, officials said. The Waterfront Partnership last spring launched the Water Wheel recognizable by a trash collecting device that resembles a steamboat paddle wheel. The device is turned by the Jones Falls River current as it scoops up trash and debris that is placed onto a conveyor belt and poured into a dumpster barge. The barge then hauls away the trash and another dumpster is put in its place. Solar panels provide additional power, officials said. Joe Burris reports. (Baltimore Sun)

Five Critters To Watch This Earth Day
Humpback whales have rebounded so successfully that federal wildlife managers say most should be removed from endangered species protection – with a caveat for whales off Washington state. That's a bit of good news for this Earth Day. Below we've summarized the debate over the status of a few other threatened or endangered species in Washington state… Gray wolf, wolverine, Northern spotted owl, Canada lynx, Gil Aegerter reports. (KUOW)

Victoria cruise ship season brings big bucks — and complaints
It's cruise ship season again in Victoria, and with 229 ships expected to visit, residents are raising fresh concerns about noise, traffic and dirty air. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority says between now and November about 513,000 passengers are expected to stop by on their way from Alaska to Seattle. The longer the cruise ships stay, the more tourists may spend on the local economy, says Bruce Carter, with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce…. However, residents who live near the cruise ship port argue that the tourism boost is accompanied by loud buses, pollution and congestion as tourists travel to and from city attractions. (CBC)

Navy War Games over Olympic National Park and Forest
.... The US Navy plans to permanently use and periodically close large swathes of the Olympic National Forest, along with airspace over it and the Olympic National Park as well as the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, for electromagnetic warfare testing and training. They are also ramping up their use of explosives and sonar and training activities in the waters surrounding the Olympic Peninsula. Their stated goal is to turn the western portion of Washington's Olympic Peninsula and surrounding waters into an Electromagnetic Warfare Range. The area encompasses a world heritage site and one of our national treasures: the Olympic National Park. Connie Gallant writes. (Daily Kos)

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

If you like to listen:Celebrate the Earth. It's Earth Day!
Celebrate the earth -- from a canyon in the West, where meadowlarks sing … to the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, where a pair of Common Loons returns to breed and raise their young and spring peepers sing for mates … to an old-growth hardwood forest in North Carolina, where warblers and vireos sing and woodpeckers drum. The soundscapes featured in today's show were recorded by Gordon Hempton and provided courtesy of QuietPlanet.com. (BirdNote)

Overtime: Washington Legislature going into special session
The House's budget chair said Tuesday Washington lawmakers will not finish their work by Sunday's deadline and will need a special session to work out the details on the state budget and adequately paying for public education. Gov. Jay Inslee agreed with Rep. Ross Hunter's assessment. But he said special session plans haven't been talked about yet. Donna Blankinship and Rachel La Corte report. (Associated Press)

U.S. recognizes 2 W. Washington climate-change projects
The federal government on Tuesday recognized two collaborative efforts in Western Washington that seek to conserve, restore and make lands more resilient to climate change. In the Puget Sound region, federal, state and county agencies are partnering to improve coastal watersheds. In the Snohomish River watershed, governments, tribes and nonprofits are working to restore and increase the storage capacity of flood plains and revive tidal wetland habitats. Western Washington was one of four regions recognized in the Tuesday joint announcement by the Interior Department, EPA and NOAA. The federal government is highlighting these regional efforts to showcase how partnerships can help prepare vulnerable lands for the effects of climate change. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Feds consider “uplisting” spotted owl
The forest-dwelling bird that has become known for causing grief in the region’s logging communities is again under Endangered Species Act review. This time, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering whether to increase protection for the Northern spotted owl. Timber industry representatives worry the potential change could further restrict logging and actually take away from the decades-long efforts to restore the species. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Humpback whales recovering, baby orcas being born, but plenty of species in peril
The eve of Earth Day 45 brought news that humpback whales, beloved attractions from waters between Maui and Lanai in Hawaii to Alaska’s Lynn Canal, are candidates to be taken off the endangered species list. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is proposing to de-list 10 species of humpbacks…. The Salish Sea has witnessed its own whale news in recent weeks. Four baby whales have been born into the southern resident orca population, endangered by oil development and decline of its chief food — chinook salmon. The view elsewhere, particularly in Third World countries, is bleak. Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com) See also: Transient orca population counted in big numbers off Vancouver Island(CBC)

Public comment sought on proposed Makah whale hunt with meeting set next Wednesday in Port Angeles
A public meeting on a draft environmental impact statement evaluating the Makah tribe's request to resume treaty-based hunting of gray whales is set in Port Angeles next week. The meeting will be from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St. No registration is required. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries also will host a public meeting in Seattle on Monday. Public comment will be taken at both meetings. (Peninsula Daily News)

Stormwater: Port considers noncompliance fees
Port of Port Townsend commissioners and Al Cairns, environmental compliance officer, on April 8 discussed imposing fines for violating Best Management Practices (BMPs), rules designed to help reduce environmental damage. The port has invested $400,000 in a stormwater treatment system. "We're still by a large order of magnitude over our stormwater standards," Cairns said. Robin Dudley reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

William Shatner: Solve California drought with Seattle pipeline
For generations, water-hungry Southern California has jealously eyed the rainy Pacific Northwest as a potential source of the precious resource. And time after time, it has been rebuffed. When Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn in 1990 proposed digging aqueducts that would grab water from the Columbia and Snake rivers, Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt responded: “I have the distinct impression that you are trying to steal my water.” Now actor William Shatner has waded in with his own improbable plan. Veronica Rocha reports. (LA Times)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 308 AM PDT WED APR 22 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON TODAY W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 10 SECONDS. TONIGHT W WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SW. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER
MIDNIGHT.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Seattle 'Kayaktivists' Building Ranks For Direct Action Against Shell’s Arctic Drilling Fleet
On the shore of Seaview Park in West Seattle, a group of young activists stand behind a row of bright yellow kayaks. Most of them are new to boating. An instructor from Alki Kayak Tours gives a safety briefing before they head out for a sunset paddle. While the excursion has the trappings of a simple evening kayak instructional class, it is anything but. This class is a training session for "Kayaktavists." And they are putting in practice time before Big Oil arrives in the Puget Sound. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Protests expected after Kinder Morgan gains access to regional parks
A deal between Metro Vancouver and Kinder Morgan to allow limited access to two regional parks for site inspections on the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline is expected to trigger a round of protests against the expansion project similar to the one on Burnaby Mountain last fall. Metro Vancouver said licence agreements had been concluded with Kinder Morgan, which would provide the pipeline company with limited access to 10 properties, including Surrey Bend and Coquitlam’s Colony Farm and five sites around the Coquitlam landfill, for “site inspections.” Kelly Sinoski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

5 Years After BP Oil Spill, Effects Linger And Recovery Is Slow
Five years ago, BP's out-of-control oil well deep in the Gulf of Mexico exploded. Eleven workers were killed on the Deepwater Horizon rig. But it was more than a deadly accident — the blast unleashed the nation's worst offshore environmental catastrophe. In the spring and summer of 2010, oil gushed from the Macondo well for nearly three months. More than 3 million barrels of Louisiana light crude fouled beaches and wetlands from Texas to Florida, affecting wildlife and livelihoods. Today, the spill's impacts linger. Debbie Elliott reports. (KUOW)

Hawk found near Langley transfer station among world’s most polluted
A male Cooper’s hawk found near Metro Vancouver’s Langley waste transfer station is polluted with more flame retardant than any other bird tested, globally. A study of the hawk’s liver fat showed 197,000 parts per billion of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, chemicals that persist in the environment and have been used in a wide array of polymer resins and plastics including in furniture, TVs, stereos, computers, carpets, and curtains. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Seattle Times wins Pulitzer Prize for Oso landslide coverage
The Seattle Times has won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for its coverage of the devastating landslide in Oso, Wash., which took 43 lives after a hillside above the Stillaguamish River collapsed and tore through the Steelhead Haven neighborhood at 60 mph. (Seattle Times)

Agency proposes lifting most humpback whales' protections
The federal government on Monday proposed removing most of the world's humpback whale population from the endangered species list, saying they have rebounded after 45 years of protections. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries wants to reclassify humpbacks into 14 distinct populations, and remove 10 of those from the list…. Humpbacks were listed as endangered in 1970, four years after the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling. Caleb Jones reports. (Associated Press)

Groups sue to stop plans to kill cormorants to save salmon
Conservation groups have filed a lawsuit to stop plans to shoot more than 10,000 double-crested cormorants in the Columbia River Estuary. Bob Salinger of Audubon Society of Portland says killing the birds to stop them from eating millions of baby salmon is a diversion from the real threat — the hydroelectric dams that kill adult fish on their way to spawning grounds, and juveniles migrating to the ocean. The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Services. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 314 AM PDT TUE APR 21 2015 SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT TODAY W WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. TONIGHT NW WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 9 FT
AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Smoke from Siberian wildfires turns Northwestern sunsets a fiery red
The scenes have almost felt like they're out of Hollywood imagination -- brilliant red sunrises and sunsets the last couple of days around Western Washington. Why so red? It's a byproduct of the massive wildfires currently burning in Siberia. The atmospheric winds are aligned this week to carry the smoke across the Pacific Ocean and into the Pacific Northwest. Here is a high-resolution satellite image from Saturday and note the haze over Washington and B.C. -- amazingly, quite a bit of it; this is on par or perhaps even more intense than the haze we usually get with Eastern Washington wildfires. Scatt Sistek reports. (KOMO)

Transportation officials issue oil train safety measures
An emergency order requiring trains hauling crude oil and other flammable liquids to slow down as they pass through urban areas and a series of other steps to improve the safety were announced Friday by the Department of Transportation. The Obama administration has been under intense pressure from members of Congress as well as state and local officials to ensure the safety of oil trains that traverse the country after leaving the Bakken region of North Dakota. To get to refineries on the East and West coasts and the Gulf of Mexico, oil shipments travel through more than 400 counties, including major metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago, Newark and dozens of other cities. Joan Lowy reports. (Associated Press)

Next step for Port Angeles' giant visitor: floating alone in harbor
It may be up to a week before the Polar Pioneer towering above the town in Port Angeles Harbor is offloaded from the semi-submersible heavy-lift ship MV Blue Marlin, which piggybacked the huge mobile oil rig from Asia. It will remain in the harbor for at least another week before it is towed to Seattle. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Gov. Inslee expands drought emergency declaration
Citing projections that say this summer will have the least snowmelt in 64 years, Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday expanded the state's month-old drought emergency declaration to cover 44 percent of the state. Inslee's announcement more than doubles the number of Washington watershed areas officially considered to be suffering from drought. In March, the governor identified 11 watersheds as drought-afflicted — six west of the Cascades and five on the east side. Thirteen more river basins were added Friday to the drought list. Derrick Nunnally reports. (Associated Press) See also: Rainfall and aquifers keep drought away from the Kitsap Peninsula Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Low-carbon energy systems costlier than gas-fed plants
As Vancouver encourages the creation of new low-carbon district energy systems, users of those utilities can expect to pay more in order to help the city reach its goal of reducing city greenhouse gas emissions by a third by 2020. However, those district utilities, targeted for some of the city’s densest neighbourhoods, are also making Vancouver a North American leader in both the reduction of greenhouse gases and the expansion of waste heat recovery systems. Jeff Lee reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Mystery ship becoming part of Tacoma waterfront scenery
A 600-foot-long auto transport ship has become something of a Commencement Bay icon as it awaits Coast Guard-mandated repairs before leaving its anchorage just off Tacoma’s Point Ruston development. The blue-hulled City of Tokyo left its cargo of automobiles at the Port of Tacoma March 28 before proceeding to its anchorage just south of the Tacoma Yacht Club near Point Defiance Park. The 28-year-old auto carrier has become the temporary centerpiece of the water view from the high-end condominiums and apartments that occupy the shoreline at Point Ruston. John Gillie reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Science uncovering truths, piecing together puzzle of BP oil spill
Vernon Asper is a scientist who works in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, looking for oil. It's still out there, five years after the nation's worst oil spill - the Deepwater Horizon blowout in April 2010 that killed 11 rig workers and spewed what was estimated at the time to be 205 million gallons into the Gulf over three months. How much is there and where it is are legitimate questions, but five years out, answers still aren't there. It may have to be enough to know scientists are still looking and that some of it is accounted for - burned, skimmed, oxidized and eaten by bacteria. But it is in the deep waters. And learning how oil connects with sediment there is hugely important to finding where the oil is. Karen Nelson reports. (Sun Herald)

Green activist killings up by a fifth - Global Witness
Killings of environmental activists have risen by 20% in the last year, according to campaign group Global Witness. A report published by the organisation said there were 116 deaths worldwide in 2014, including 29 in Brazil, 25 in Colombia and 15 in the Philippines. Activists also faced abduction and other threats if they interfered in corporate or state interests, it added. Last year saw a spike in killings related to hydropower programs. (BBC)

Friday, April 17, 2015

In Praise of the “Common” Seagull
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Here on Gabriola Island people are still talking about what a great herring season we had last month – those boisterous sea lions… made quite an impression, as did the eagles, who came in massive numbers to take in the bounty. It was a daily show of profusion and feasting. But just as interesting, to me, were the seagulls – those much-maligned birds with their unforgettable calls and complex social interactions…."

B.C. First Nations can sue over property rights, court rules
Industrial giants, from forestry companies to mining operations, must respect aboriginal territorial claims in British Columbia just as they would heed the rights of any other Canadian landowner, the province's highest court has ruled. A decision from the B.C. Court of Appeal paves the way for First Nations to launch lawsuits to protect their territory from private parties, even without proving aboriginal title. Two northwestern First Nations expressed vindication on Wednesday after a panel of three judges overturned a lower court ruling that denied them opportunity to sue the aluminum producer Rio Tinto Alcan. (Canadian Press)

Squamish Terminals on fire at Nexen Beach
A fire at the dock at Squamish Terminals at Nexen Beach in Squamish, B.C., was reported to be mostly contained by early Friday morning. "They haven't evacuated us, and it smells horrible!" Cheryl Bester told CBC. "The thick smoke has filled the entire town and north past Brackendale." ﻿The fire started shortly after 6 p.m. PT Thursday, and Squamish residents reported large plumes of smoke in the area. Squamish Terminals is a deep-water facility in Howe Sound that has two berths and three warehouses with about 47,000 square metres of storage. Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman said residents were still being asked to clear the downtown core and stay indoors. Maryse Zeidler reports. (CBC)

Polar Pioneer oil rig expected to arrive in Port Angeles this morning — protesters say they'll be on hand
Today's early morning arrival of a huge semi-submersible offshore drilling rig from Asia will be met by a cadre of local, state and national environmental activists opposed to its use in the Arctic. The exact time that the Polar Pioneer, a 400-foot-tall rig owned by Transocean Ltd., is expected to anchor in Port Angeles Harbor to tower over the city for the next two weeks has not been specified, but a Shell Oil representative said it would be early in the morning. When it does arrive and is placed at Anchorage Site Two in the western portion of the harbor, the rig — which is being transported on the MV Blue Marlin, a semi-submersible heavy-lift ship — will be greeted by protesters from Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Sequim and Seattle. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Coast Guard budget cuts roil the water in B.C. oil-spill controversy
Oil companies seeking a pipeline path for Alberta crude to open water and new markets breathed a sigh of relief when the ballots were counted in the 2013 provincial election and B.C. Liberal Premier Christy Clark was still in charge. It seemed there was still a way forward for oil with a pro-resource-development government in power. Last week’s heavy oil spill in English Bay, however, has pushed the provincial government further away from getting to “yes,” and the oil companies can thank Ottawa for making their already difficult sales job to British Columbians even harder. Ms. Clark has repeatedly warned that B.C. is not ready for additional oil tanker traffic, and had demanded that Ottawa reopen the Kitsilano Coast Guard base as a starting point. She was ignored, and the payback was delivered on Friday when she slammed the federal government for its “unacceptable” neglect of marine safety on Canada’s West Coast. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Secrecy shrouds decadelong oil spill off Louisiana
A blanket of fog lifts, exposing a band of rainbow sheen that stretches for miles off the coast of Louisiana. From an airplane, it’s easy to see gas bubbles in the slick that mark where an oil platform toppled during a 2004 hurricane, triggering what might be the longest-running commercial oil spill to pollute the Gulf of Mexico. Yet more than a decade after crude started leaking at the site formerly operated by Taylor Energy, few people even know of its existence. The company has downplayed the leak’s extent and environmental impact. An Associated Press investigation has found evidence that the spill is far worse than what Taylor and the government have publicly reported during their secretive, and costly, effort to halt the leak. Presented with AP’s findings, that the sheen recently averaged about 91 gallons of oil a day across eight square miles, the Coast Guard provided a new leak estimate that is about 20 times greater than one recently touted by the company. Michael Kunzelman and Jeff Donn report. (Associated Press)

Completed restoration makes Woodard Bay a must-see location in the South Sound
On a gray, drizzly morning last week, the raucous sounds of the neighbors brought a smile to Michele Zukerberg’s face. Off in the distance, the screeching of nesting great blue herons could be heard from the tall forest trees. A pair of Canada geese seemed to object to the presence of several human visitors. Visually, harbor seals could be seen lounging on old log booms. Buffleheads rippled the water of Chapman Bay as they dove beneath the surface while feeding. A heron casually flew overhead, toward the rookery that is home to about 100 herons…. To Zukerberg, the sights and sounds are all part of what makes the Woodard Bay Natural Conservation Area north of Olympia so special. It is even better now, said the area’s manager, with the completion of the environmental education and interpretive facilities at Weyer Point. Jeffrey P. Mayor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Sewer Water Beer Wins Oregon Regulators' Approval
A wastewater treatment operator wants to give its recycled sewer water to a group of home brewers so they can turn it into beer. On Wednesday, state environmental regulators approved the idea. The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission voted unanimously to allow the Hillsboro-based utility Clean Water Services to use recycled sewage for brewing beer. Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix)

Standards for organic seafood coming this year, USDA says
After more than a decade of delays, the government is moving toward allowing the sale of U.S.-raised organic fish and shellfish. But don’t expect it in the grocery store anytime soon. The Agriculture Department says it will propose standards for the farmed organic fish this year. That means the seafood could be available in as few as two years — but only if USDA moves quickly to complete the rules and seafood companies decide to embrace them. Mary Clare Jalonick reports. (Associated Press)

Landmark Dutch Lawsuit Puts Governments Around the World on Notice
…. Where I live, in the Netherlands, a landmark case will be heard in the Den Haag District Court on Tuesday. The Urgenda Foundation is suing the Dutch government for knowingly endangering its citizens by failing to prevent dangerous climate change. It comes at a time when an increasing number of legal experts around the world have come to believe that the lack of action represents a gross violation of the rights of those who will suffer the consequences. They also argue that the failure of governments to negotiate international agreements does not absolve them of their legal obligation to do their share in preventing dangerous climate change. These arguments are at the core of the Dutch lawsuit and will undoubtedly be put to the test in other countries before too long. Kelly Rigg writes. (Moyers & Company/Huffington Post)

Coast Guard decides against plans to accommodate protests of giant oil rig's visit to Port Angeles
The Coast Guard said it has no plans to set up a “voluntary First Amendment area” in Port Angeles Harbor for activists to protest Friday's expected arrival of a huge semi-submersible offshore drilling rig from Asia. The Coast Guard, in detailing security measures Wednesday, said it will set up such an area for protesters who plan to launch boats and kayaks in Seattle's Elliott Bay when the oil rig is moved from Port Angeles to Puget Sound later this month or in early May. Chris McDaniel reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Washington’s ferry reservation system breaks down on first day for summer bookings
Washington State Ferries kicked off the summer vacation planning season with online reservations for summer ferry travel, including to the popular San Juan Islands. But the system failed on the first day of the new reservation season Tuesday and, because of technical difficulties, summer reservations won’t be available for at least a week, said WSF. The technical failure knocked out reservations, by phone or online, for summer travel on the San Juan Islands route, Port Townsend/Coupeville ferries and Anacortes/Sidney, B.C. route. (Associated Press and Settle Times) See also: Ferry briefly loses power in Puget Sound with 173 people aboard (Associated Press)

U.S. House bill seeks ban on DOT-111 tank cars for oil trains
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, on Wednesday introduced a bill to address safety issues with crude oil trains following a series of recent derailments, including an immediate ban on tank cars that are vulnerable to punctures and fire damage. Matsui cited the multitude of railroad tracks passing through Sacramento, some of which have been used to transport crude oil. The oil shipments have declined recently, but could rise again once new terminals are approved and constructed. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

Skagit County asked court to dismiss Shell lawsuit over EIS decision
Skagit County filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Shell Puget Sound Refinery in March on the grounds that the legal action is premature, said county civil prosecuting attorney Will Honea. Shell filed a lawsuit last month against the county and Hearing Examiner Wick Dufford, seeking a review of Dufford’s decision to require a comprehensive environmental impact statement before Shell could build a crude oil unloading facility at the refinery in Anacortes. Shannen Kuest reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Refinery Proposed Last Year For Columbia River, Records Show
Washington’s Port of Longview says it is in talks with an energy company that last year submitted plans for a crude oil refinery on the Columbia River. Details of the company’s planned refinery surfaced Wednesday through public records obtained and released by Columbia Riverkeeper. A potential agreement between Riverside Energy, Inc. and the port, outlined in an unsigned memo of understanding dated July, 2014, described plans for the development of the first refinery on the Columbia River and the first on the West Coast in 25 years. The refinery would have a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day and produce a mix of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel all primarily for regional use, according to the documents, which were sent Wednesday to media organizations. Conrad Wilson and Tony Schick report. (EarthFix)

Frozen giants retreat: Glaciers fading away in Olympic Mountains, national park audience shown
The pictures tell the story: Glaciers are receding in the Olympic Mountains and around the world, a team of University of Washington researchers told an overflow audience at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Blue Glacier on Mount Olympus, the largest and most studied glacier in the national park, is being monitored for clues it may reveal about long-term changes in snowfall and temperature, said Michelle Koutnik, a UW research professor. Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Spectacular Oregon Coast Orca Visitation Caught on Camera
While much of the world is captivated by the inundations of purple jellyfish to the Oregon coast, there are much bigger creatures wandering these waters as of late, ready to make an even bigger splash. Literally. It's clear as day that the annual spring visits by Killer Whales have arrived. (Pacific Coast Beach Connection)

When septic systems go bad: There’s help for homeowners
Snohomish County has launched a new initiative to replace and repair aging septic systems by providing homeowners with convenient financing options. The county launched its Savvy Septic program earlier this month. The three-year pilot program offers loans, grants and rebates for work to make septic systems cleaner, safer and better-functioning. (Everett Herald)

Vote early, vote often for next City Bird of Vancouver
The birds have been chosen and the tweeting has begun in the annual campaign for the next City Bird of Vancouver. Members of the public can vote as often as they want for the bird of their choice: the western grebe, the barn swallow, the peregrine falcon, or the barn owl. (Vancouver Sun)

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

About Me

Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482